Universal free tape hoist



March 14, 1944. w cQFF|NG UNIVERSAL FREE TAPE HOIST Filed April 30, 1941 Patented Mar. 14, 1944 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7' Claims.

This invention relates to a device capable of operating as a hoist cable or fence slack eliminator, or the like.

The chief object of this invention is to provide a device capable of operating as aforesaid and which is relatively simple in character having but few parts and these of comparatively light weight but of sufiicient strength and which device is easily operable either lever fashion or crank handle fashion.

Another chief object of the invention is to providea structure of the character indicated, which is capable of free tape action.

Thisapplication is a continuation-in-part of the copending application, Serial No. 288,319, filed August 4, 1939, now Patent No. 2,270,271, dated January .20, 1942, and entitled, Tape hoist and tensioning device.

The chief feature of the present invention consists in the arrangement of the parts, whereby free tape action is possible. In other words, when the device is properly conditioned, the tape may be readily extended or reeled in for quick approximation of the desired length and for association with the parts to be tensioned or brought together or the load which is to be elevated or moved.

Another feature of the invention consists in the arrangement whereby the device may be conditioned for step by step shortening of the tape or lengthening of the tape for load elevating and load lowering, respectively, by way of example.

Another feature of the invention consists in the tape engaging throat arrangement.

Still a further feature of the device consists in looping the tape for multiple power purposes, the speed of movement being correspondingly re duced and the anchorage of one end of the tape to a fixed anchorage in such a manner that tape breaking at the anchorage is eliminated.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing means for stopping tape movement in the paying-out direction so that in load lowering or tape paying-out movement, the amount thereof is limited, thereby preventing excess strain on the tape as it reaches the end of its pay out movement and crystallization and consequently, breakage at the spool anchored end of a the tape.

Still a further feature of the invention consists in the dual positionable handle and its specific construction and association with the actuating lever insofar as the present disclosure is an improvement upon that shown in the copending application referred to.

Other objects and features of the invention will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following specification and claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is in general a central sectional view through a tape type hoist embodying the pr ferred form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sideelevational View thereof, parts being broken away to show the same and other parts in section and elevation, to more clearly illustrate certain parts of the invention.

It is to be noted that Fig. 1 is not a true single sectional view, but is taken in such a manner that the parts of the invention are more clearly illustrated than is possible in a single section.

In the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates one portion of the tape hoist housing and H the other portion. These two portions are suitably secured together as at l2 and elsewhere and together form a tape chamber l3. Extending across the tape chamber is a shaft M which pivotally supports a pawl l5, the tooth portion being constrained by the spring l5 into riding engagement with the tape ll or the spool structure l8.

This spool or reel includes two side plate portions I S and the spool structure is rotatably supported in bearings 20 and 2l in the body portions l0 and II, respectively, by means of the bushings 22 and 23, respectively.

The upper ends of. the two housing portions each have a semi-cylindrical groove therein forming a cylindrical bearing 24 which rotatably supports portion 25 of a snap hook having the head portion 26 retaining the hook in hoist association. The numeral 21 indicates the snap hook.

The body portion of the hoist is elongated as as 23 and terminates in a throat structure onlargement 29. Adjacent thereto and spaced therefrom is a cross member 30. This member 3% is grooved as atf3'l and provides a channel for the tape I! to pass therethrough between portion 29 and the member 30. Member 38 is suitably secured to both housing portions as at 32.

Member 33 is recessed as at 33 and slidably mounted therein is a cup-like brass member 34 which seats one end of a spring'35 that normally bears against the inner end of therecess 33. This cup-like member, therefore, is normally cone strained toward the adjacent face of the portion 29 and rides the tape in tape movement through the throat in either direction.

The tape I! is herein illustrated as passing around a Wheel 35 rotatable on axle 36 carried by the side portions 31 of a split body structure 33, the latter having semi-cylindrical confronting openings 39 communicating with chamber 40. Rotatably supported in the two semi-cylindrical and matching openings 39 is they pivotal portion 4| of a snap hook structure 42 having the head portion 43seated in the chamber 48. Means such as indicated at 44 and 45 as well as the axle 36 secure the two housing portions to gether as shown. The upper members45 serve as guides and confining members for the tape when necessary.

The free end of the tape is indicated by the numeral 46 and it is wrapped about a transverse members 41 carried by two spaced ears 48 on the housingmembers ill-and ll near the throat portion. A pair of links 49 are positioned at opposite sides of the tape I1 and theend 46 thereof and therivets 56 rigidly clamp the end 46 to the tape I! adjacent its connection or relatively rigid anchorage 41. It thus will be apparent that the anchored end ofthe tape can swivel about the pivot 41 with links 49 riding bosses 48,'tlh'us preventing fractureof the tape incident to repeated bending on a short radius.

Referring to the reel or spool structure Ill-l9, the opposite end of the tape ll, indicated by the numeral 5!, is seated in a slot 52 in the spool and may be suitably secured therein by any suitable or convenient arrangement, such as a screw unit, or thelike, none of which, however, is herein illustrated. The spool structure, as stated, is formed by a portion of the shaft I8 which is enlarged between the two bearings 28 and 2| and which has press-fitted on the enlarged portions the two-plates I9. These are spaced'apart a distance but slightly greater than the width of the tape. 4 i

As long as the tape has oneor more'turns on shaft l8, the pawl or dog l5 rides the tape. "When the last turn of the tape is paid-out-see Fig. 2-the -pawl l5 drops into the notch 53 and prevents further counterclockwise rotation or paying-out movement of thetape. Naturally, when the tape is wound in upon the reel or spool; the dog or pawl l5 rides the tapeand is not effective thereon. The purpose of this pawl or.

dogandnotdh' 53; cooperation is toprevent the spool and shaft from rotating beyond the position shown in Fig. 2 andiin a counterclockwise direction because to do so would'cause the tape to be wrapped backward, as itwerafrom its nor-' mal reeling relation withrespect to the spool and thus cause 'fracture or crystallization where the tape leaves the slotfor. notch 52. I In this man; ner, therefore, each end of the tape is so anchored and so protected that short radius bends upon the shoulders I02.

scribed in the before mentioned application.

The extension 55 is enlarged as at 56. This enlargement is provided with a radially directed recess 51 which opens inwardly into the chamber 54. The opening 58, provided to form the recess 51, may be plugged as at 59.

The inward end of the recess 51 is provided with a smaller bore 68 that extends through the remainder of the portion 56 and therein is slidably supported a stem 6| that on its inner end mounts a plunger portion 62. This portion 62 has a tooth 63 with an inclined face 64 and a relieved portion 65. The resulting locking pawl is normally constrained so that it is projected into'the chamber 54 by means of the spring 66 coaxial With the stem 5| and bearing at its inner end upon therear wall portion of the recess and upon its outer end on the enlarged portion 62 of the loadholding member.

The housing exposed end of the stem 6| has rigidly secured to it the member 10. This member 10 is notched as at ll-see Fig. 1and seatable in said notch and carried by the portion 56 is a pin or post 12. As shown in Fig. 1 when the pin or post 12 is seated in the notch H the plunger or load holding member extends inwardly into the chamber 54 and is adapted to engage the teeth 13see Fig. 2-01? a ratchet 14. The ratchet I4 is provided with a bearing portion 15- see Fig. 1--that is rotatably supported by the reduced portion 16 of the shaft l8.

Positioned at each side of said ratchet 14 and inoperative association therewith are the fibre clutch discs 11 and 18. 'These two clutch. discs have operative engagement with two adjacent members. The inner adjacent member is indicated by the numeral 19 and may be keyed, or the like, as at 8D to the shaft 18. The other adjacent member is indicated by the numeral 8|. It has an internal threaded arrangement 82 adapted to receive the reduced and threaded portion 84 of the shaft reduced portion 15. v

The outer end of this portion 84-see Fig. 1-

' is tapped and threaded to receive a locking bolt 85, which bears on a lock washer 86 in turn bearing on the retaining'washer 81. This washer 8'! is adapted to form with an encircling portion 88' of a handle structure, a closed chamber in which is mounted the member 811 This member Bl' has a toothed peripheryfone notch of which is indicated most clearly in Fig. 2 by the numeral 89; V

The portion 88'aforesaid'provides an annular chamber 90'and the same'is provided with a radially directed recess 91 opening into chamber 90. A bore 92 slidably supports the stem 93 of a reversible'pawl or plunger member 94, the latter having the relieved portion '95 and the inclined portion 96. A spring 97 normally constrains this plunger or pawl inwardly toward the axis of the chamber. -The'outer end of the stem has secnredto it themember 98see Fig. 2the latter being notched as at 98asee Fig. l- -on oppositesides to seat the inwardly projecting portions 99 of themain handle portion i00see.Fig..2-havingthe opening lUl therein. This opening Hll is of sufficient size to permit the member 98 to be moved outwardly and downwardly-see Fig. 2 into the recess I01 and permitturning of .the member 98 so that when it'is released to its constraint it may ride or bear When it does so, the toothedportion of the plunger is heldout of engagement with the teeth 89of' the member 8|.

'Whenthe member 98 has been sufliciently moved: axially it may be turned" from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in which event, it will be quite apparent that the tip of the tooth of the plunger 94 will engage the opposite wall of the notch 89 in the member 8|.

The handle is extended as at H35 and the handle formation described includes two transverse extending cylindrical portions l06 and I01, the same being slotted as at its and extending across said slot is a pin or anchor member I09. A tube HE] is selectively seatable on either portion IE or ili'l. It carries a pair of spaced pins lH. Pivoted on member m9 is member H4 that moves from slot to slot with the tube H0 and extends between pins l l I. The outer end mounts a retainer H5 for spring H3, secured by washer and cotter key H2. This spring retains the tube or the hand gripping portion H6 in telescopic association with the part N or I01, since the opposite end bears upon a slotted washer H5 resting on pins IH.

Whenever lever type operation is not desired, the tube H9 is extended until the inner end of said tube clears the outer end of said portion )5. Then the tube is hinged 90 and seated on the portion it l, member i ii moving from groove 108 to the other groove H38. When the tubular handle portion thus is seated on the member llll, the construction is arranged for crank handle operation, the tube ill] then being at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the handle portion Hi5 and rotatable relative to member H4.

As shown clearly in Fig. 1, the portion 88 of the handle structure is bored as at I28 in alignment with the recess 9!. This permits the recess 9! to be formed and following that formation the bore E29 is plugged as at 25. The portion 88 is herein shown provided with an inwardly directed collar portion I23 which seats within the chamber 5 8.

The operation is as follows: When the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 2, and the handle N is rotated clockwise, it will be quite apparent that the ratchet 8i will be rotated clockwise and in so doing it will move toward the right hand friction clutch ll'see Fig. 1and continued movement will cause said friction disc to move to the left, in turn moving the ratchet 1.3 to the left to engage the friction clutch 18 to the left thereof and continued movement will cause said last mentioned friction clutch to engage 'the member is. Continued rotational movement of the ratchet 32 thus will bind all of the clutch parts together and when so bound, the shaft 16-43 will be rotated clockwise to reel in the tape ll and wind it on the spool structure. Whenever clockwise movement of the handle structure ceases, the plunger 62 engages the ratchet l3 and holds the load.

During this load holding movement, the handle i 05 may be rotated counterclockwise and when it does so, the inclined face 98 of the pawl or plunger t5 will ride the teeth 89 of the member 8! for handle repositioning. In this way, the handle may be oscillatable to and fro for clutch engagement and load elevation. When it is desired to completely rotate the handle for load elevation, the handle M5 is rotated clockwise to effect the same and as many complete rotations as may be necessary are effected.

When it is desired to lower the load, the plunger 94 is reversed in position from that as shown in 2, with the clutch parts still engaged as shown in 1. Then the handle is moved clockwise. Clockwise rotation of .the handle, with pawl 94 reversed, releases the clutch engagement.

sufficient to permit load lowering even though pawl 62 holds ratchet 14. Load lowering tends to effect clutch engagement so that the handle must be turned to permit actual load lowering;

When free tape action is desired, no load being on the chain, it is quite apparent that the toothed plungers may be locked out of ratchet engagement and pulling upon the lower hook :22 will cause paying-out of the tape without any interference whatsoever, since there is no plunger holding action. There is no free tape action in tape winding other than can be effected through the handle structure operation.

It also will be noted that the greater the load to be accommodated by the hoist, the greater will be the clutching action effected between the several clutch parts. It also will be noted the portion 55 by reason of its chamber 54 receiving the inwardly directed end l23 of the portion 88 of handle 1% serves as a cylindrical guide for the handle.

Removal of the bolt 85, lock washer BB and washer 8'! permits the handle structure to be readily disassociated from the toothed ratchet 8!, reel shaft 16, and the like. The clutch members on opposite sides of the inner ratchet are preferably of leather, composition or fibre while the two ratchets and the member 79 are metallic. When the handle has been removed, the outer ratchet member 8! may be readily unthreaded from the shaft 16 and following such movement, the inner ratchet M and friction clutch members ll and :8 may be removed for replacement purposes.

It will be quite apparent the hoist as herein illustrated, is capable of operation as a lever handle hoist or as a crank handle hoist and in the operation, particularly for tensioning purposes or load elevation purposes, the initial handle rotation is for clutch conditioning, and the subsequent handle operation is primarily for ten sioning or for load elevation.

As previously set forth, the amount of clutch action is proportional to the load to be handled. The present invention has the following possibility inherent therein. With the load holding plunger holding the load, the handle plunger may be associated with the outer ratchet so as to relieve the clutch action and thereby permit the load to slowly lower, as it were. Escape or full release of the load is prevented because when shaft l8 rotates under load release, it causes the clutch to move to binding position and to permit continued release of the load, the handle must be turned constantly to maintain the desired amount of clutch release.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawing and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described. herein as well as others which will readily suggest them-. selves to persons skilled.in this art, all are con-' sidered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a magazine type tape hoist, the combination of a housing having a tape receiving magazine chamber therein, a spool structure therein having a shaft, a flat elongated metallic tape strip windable thereon and unwindable therefrom and having its inner end secured to the spool shaft, said shaft having a notch therein, and a locking member normally constrained into tape and shaft engagement for all positions of the hoist and -ear--- ried by th housing and. movable only toward'the shaft axis for seating in the notch regardless of previous speed of shaft rotation and position of the hoist to prevent further shaft rotation in tape pay-out direction when the member engages the shaft.

- 2. In a tape type hoist the combination of ,a magazine type housing having a chamber therein, a unitary shaft extending across the magazine chamber and projecting through one side thereof, an anchoring memberat one end of the housing and having a pivotal axis offset from the shaft axis, an elongated tubular extension of the housing directed oppositely from the anchoring member and communicating with the chamber and having throat means at the end of said tubular extension, said throat means and the anchoring member'pivotal axis having a common alignment offset from the axis of the shaft and said alignment being approximately midway between th axis of the shaft and the chamber wall adjacent thereto and closest to said alignment, a tape reel carried by said shaft, a tape. secured at one end of the reel and windable thereon and unwindable therefrom, said throat means being positioned at a greater distance from the reel axis than the full diameter of the reel and to one side thereof as set forth and operatively associated with the tape for guidance, aligned and clearance purposes, ratchet and pawl means operatively associated with said housing and shaft for the control of the latter, a handle rotatably mounted on therefrom and communicating with the chamber and having throat means at the end of said tubular extension, the anchoring member and extension having a common alignment oifset from the axis 'of the shaft, a tape reel carried by said shaft, a tape secured at one end to said reel and windable thereon and unwindable therefrom, said throat means being positioned at a greater distance from the reel axis than the full diameter of the reel and to one side of said axis and on the same side of the axis as the anchoring memher and operatively associated with the tape for guidance, alignment and clearance purposes, a ratchet operatively carried by the shaft, a pawl, yielding means normally constraining the pawl to ratchet engagement for tape tension, means for rotating the shaft for tape tensioning, housing exposed means overcoming, when manually operable, the constraint imposed by the yielding means for removing the pawl from ratchet engagement for permitting paying-out of the tape from the magazine, the shaft rotating means rotating the shaft for tape tensioning and including a ratchet operatively carried by the shaft externally of the magazine and on the projecting end of said shaft, a handle rotatably mounted on said projecting end of said shaft and in juxtapositionto said last mentioned ratchet and including a pawl constrained to last mentioned ratchet engagement, and means exposed upon the handle and arranged for handle pawl ratchet disengagement in opposition to the constraint upon the handle pawl.

5. In amagazi'ne type tape hoist, the combination of a housing having a tape receiving magazine chamber therein, a spool structure rotatable therein, a flat elongated metallic tape strip windable thereon and unwindable therefrom and having its inner end secured to the spool structure, an elongated throat communicating at the inlet end with the chamber and constituting an extension of the housing and recessed at one end,

3. In a hoist the combination, of a magazine I sion having a substantially common alignment oifset from the axis of the shaft, a tape reel carried by said shaft, a tape secured at one end. to said reel and windablethereon and unwindable therefrom, said throat means being positioned at a greater distance from the reel axis than the full diameter of the reel and to one side of said axis and on the same side of the axis as the anchoring and tape engaging means at the outlet end of the throat for tape braking purposes and including a throat outlet forming member seated in the throat recess and completing the throat and housing 'and secured thereto, a tape engaging member, and means yieldingly constraining said tape engaging member to tape engagement, said first mentioned member and the adjacent portion of the outlet end of the throat providing a restricted mouth therebetween for peripheral tape envelopment and accommodation.

6; In a magazine typetape hoist, the combination of a housing having a tape receiving magazine chamber therein, a spool structure rotatable therein, a flat elongated metallic tape strip member and operatively associated .with the tape 1 tape from the magazine.

4. In a hoist the combination of a magazine type housing having a chamber therein, a unitary shaft extending across the magazine chamber and projecting through one side thereof, an an- 'choring member at one end of the housing, an

elongated tubular extension directed oppositely windable thereon and unwindable therefrom and having its inner end secured to the spool structure, an elongated throat communicating at the inlet end with the chamber and constituting an extension of the housing and recessed at one end,

. and tape engaging means at the outlet end of the throat for tape braking purposes and including a throat outlet forming member seated in the throat recess and completing the throat and housing and secured thereto, a tape engaging member, and means yieldingly constraining said tape engaging member to tape engagement, said first mentioned member and the adjacent portion of the outlet end of the throat providing a commodation and abutting at the ends of the grooved face said throat portion to form said restricted mouth and said second mentioned tape braking member being carried by the first membar.

7. A hoist structure having in combination a housing including a chamber with a load carrying member therein, a single shaft rigid with the member and projecting from the chamber at one end, the free end of the load supporting shaft including a thread portion, a ratchet coaxial with the member and having a threaded portion operativelyassociated with the shaft thread portion, relative rotation in opposite directions therebetween causing the ratchet to move towards or away from the load carrying member, a second ratchet freely rotatable on said shaft, clutch members at opposite sides of the second ratchet, another member rigid with the shaft, one clutch member being interposed between said second mentioned rigid member and said second mentioned ratchet and the other clutch member being interposed between the ratchets, a load holding pawl normally constrained to second ratchet engagement, a tubular projection upon the housing and nesting the second mentioned rigid member and ratchet and included clutch member, an operating pawl normally constrained to first ratchet engagement and chambered means coaxially mounted relative to the shaft and pivotally movable, said means supporting the operating pawl and enclosing the first mentioned ratchet and having direct bearing association with the free end of the tubular projection, the chamber being of magazine type, the load carrying member being of tape spool character, said magazine having a tape accommodating throat with an outlet appreciably remote from the shaft axis, the outlet being of tape enveloping character, a hoist support carried by the housing opposite from the throat, the outlet and longitudinal center of said support being substantially aligned and slightly ofiset from the shaft axis. FREDRICK W. COFFING. 

